Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Once, out of anger, Bamdev Baba hurled a thunderbolt at Mother Tara's head. The Mother couldn't deflect it because a Brahmin's curse is bound to take effect. Mother Tara did not have the power to stop that thunderbolt in any way.
Host:
Pranam, Gurudev. I hope you are all well and are chanting the Holy Name. Today, we are discussing the Dasha Mahavidyas—the ten forms of the Divine Mother. You have already received an episode about Goddess Kali, the first of the Mahavidyas. Today, Gurudev will speak about the Goddess Mother Tara. I won't say much about this myself. It is well known, and I have heard from many people, that everyone calls Gurudev "Tara's Son." There are certain incidents related to this, but it wouldn't be right for me to speak about them—if Gurudev wishes to share them later, he will. A son speaking about his mother... I will not interfere in that. I will leave it entirely to Gurudev to speak about Mother Tara in his own way. Please, if you would begin.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Mother Tara is the essence of the universe. She is Lord Brihaspati—Jupiter Himself. To properly have her darshan, we should visit her on Thursdays. Thursday is exclusively her day. Even if we are at Tarapith, the best time to see the Mother is on Thursday afternoon, after her midday meal, when she takes her afternoon tea. Viewing her at that time yields highly beneficial results. Nowadays, people become incredibly restless to see the Mother on Saturdays and Tuesdays, and there are massive queues on those days. But actually, Saturday and Tuesday are not Mother Tara's primary days. Her actual day is Thursday. She is Goddess Lakshmi Herself, and Tara is the core essence of the universe. Who is running this world? Mother Tara Herself.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When I visited recently, I actually cried. I thought, "Mother, no one is even looking at your face." You cannot imagine how much of a child the Mother really is. Yet, people are holding bottles of alcohol directly to that innocent Mother's mouth. They claim it is the Mother's prasad. It brought tears to my eyes. They haven't seen the true form of the Mother. If they had even imagined her true form, it would be a different story—but they are looking right at her! I wept seeing them feed alcohol to that little girl-like deity, making her smell the alcohol. Yes, I know they make her smell it, but holding the bottle right to her face... I felt terrible. I have been going to Tarapith for so long, but I have never seen such mistreatment of the Mother. Back in our day, what did we do? The temple priests would take us, stand us in front of the Mother, hand us a hand-fan, and say, "Please, fan the Mother." And that is what we did. Today, Tarapith has become an unruly place. Everyone thinks that merely seeing Goddess Tara brings massive rewards. It is not that cheap.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Do you know what the hair of the deity sitting there is made of? The hair of women—both widows and married women—from the cremation ground is collected and carefully sorted. It is then thoroughly oiled with Dabur Amla hair oil. Next, the ashes from the cremation pyres are sifted through a sieve and applied to that hair. That is the hair the Mother wears. Can you understand what this is? Yet, people are cutting off pieces of this hair and taking it home, thinking it will bring them great fortune. People don't know the truth, so they do these things, but they also suffer the consequences. No one can deny the massive suffering they endure as a result. They will suffer because they haven't seen her true form.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If we talk about how Mother Tara came here, or the era before Bamdev Baba—some say she was brought from Tibet, others say from Kamakhya in Assam. I am not used to debating this, but from my studies, Sage Vashistha established her here, and later Bamdev Baba protected her. Personally, I believe Bamdev Baba is the reincarnation of Sage Vashistha. After Vashistha's death, there was no one left capable of worshiping her properly, so he was reborn as Bamdev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
From a very young age, Bamdev had profound devotion and reverence for the Mother. Because of this, she automatically loved him very much. Bamdev and his friends used to sit near the haystacks and smoke chillum. When they finished, they would empty the ashes into the haystack and head toward the cremation ground. The owners eventually found out who was doing this and tried to beat Bamdev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Mother Tara is actually a form of Durga. There are eight forms of Tara—Ashta Tara. Nila Saraswati is one, and the one sitting inside the main sanctum is Ekajata Tara. Ekajata Tara is Goddess Durga Herself. If you look closely above where the Mother sits, you will see the figure of Mahishasura—the buffalo demon. So, the Mother resides there as Durga, accompanied by the rest of the Ashta Tara. I have explained all this extensively in my previous episodes.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
What more can I say about Bamdev Baba and Mother Tara? There are endless stories. Bamdev loved Mother Tara deeply, and she loved him just as much. Their relationship was strictly that of a mother and son. No matter what Bamdev did, the Mother never scolded him. Once, in a fit of rage, Bamdev Baba hurled a thunderbolt at Mother Tara's head. You can still see the evidence of this—the trident above her is bent from the sheer force of that strike. The Mother couldn't stop it because Bamdev was a Brahmin, and a Brahmin's curse is bound to manifest. Even though she was the Mother, she didn't have the power to stop that thunderbolt.
Host:
Gurudev, out of the Dasha Mahavidyas, Mother Tara is a major Goddess of Tantra. Since the Mahavidyas are applied in Tantra, how is Mother Tara viewed in Tantric practices?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
"Yatha Kali tatha Tara, tatha chhinna kulluka…" As is Kali, so is Tara. Sometimes she is Kali, sometimes she is Tara. Whoever worships Kali must inevitably encounter Tara. Mother Tara will come to them. We worshipped Kali for 25 years, and then Mother Tara arrived. She never left; she stayed with us. Even now, whatever offerings and worship we do, the Kali Puja has transformed because Mother Tara has manifested before us. Among the eight forms of Tara—Ashta Tara—Nila Saraswati and Ekajata Tara are the most famous. Furthermore, Mother Tara is the presiding deity of the planet Jupiter. When someone's Jupiter is weak or afflicted, we seek Mother Tara's grace so the person can be uplifted. We perform rituals or fire sacrifices directed to her, and the person recovers. I have seen this work without fail.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is also a strict tradition at Tarapith: "Tara Taran Kore"—Tara liberates or moves you forward. You can stay at Tarapith as long as you want before offering your puja. But the moment you complete your worship and offer your puja, Mother Tara will not let you stay there any longer. You will have to return home. Some news or situation will arise forcing you to leave. That is the rule of Tarapith. Bamdev Baba used to chase many people away, shouting, "Go away! It's done, leave!"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
What else do you want to know?
Host:
I have heard so many stories from you. There are countless stories, aren't there?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, countless stories! Let me tell you a good one that comes to mind. Subodh Mukherjee used to visit Sri Ramakrishna and loved him very much. One day, after Ramakrishna had eaten and was resting, Subodh went and massaged his feet.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Ramakrishna asked, "Why do you come to me?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh replied, "Father, I come for Diksha—spiritual initiation."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Ramakrishna said, "I am not your Guru. Your Guru is Purnananda. Go find him; he will initiate you."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
For days, Subodh wandered the banks of the Ganges, asking everyone if they knew a man named Purnananda. No one knew him. The real Swami Purnananda was a great saint who eventually initiated Sri Sarada Devi. Subodh was unable to find him and sat on the riverbank one day, resting his head in his hands, feeling defeated.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Just then, a group of women finished bathing in the Ganges and were walking up the ghat. Seeing Subodh sitting there looking depressed, one woman asked, "What happened to you? Why are you sitting like this?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh said, "I have been looking for someone named Purnananda, as Ramakrishna instructed, but I cannot find him."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The woman replied, "Swami Purnananda? Yes, he lives right here at my house! Come with me, I will show you."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
She took him home and led him into a room. Subodh couldn't see anything extraordinary. Purnananda simply looked at him and said, "Subodh, you've come? Come, sit." From then on, Subodh visited frequently. However, Swami Purnananda was a heavy drinker. He would constantly shout, "My throat is dry! Give me alcohol!" The lady of the house would have to keep alcohol stocked for him, which made Subodh furious.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Eventually, Purnananda told Subodh, "You are coming to me for initiation, but I am not your Guru. Your Guru is Bamdev Baba. Go to Tarapith, you will get your initiation there."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh thought, "Ramakrishna's words cannot be wrong." But he had no money to travel. He told Purnananda, "I have no money to go that far. My initiation won't happen."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Purnananda said, "I don't have money either. But take these gold earrings of mine, sell them, and use the money to travel."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh refused, "No, there is a stigma attached to you due to drinking. I cannot take your gold."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Purnananda insisted, "Believe me, my mother gave these to me when I was a child. I have kept them carefully. There is no sin in them. Come with me." He dragged Subodh to a jewelry shop, sold the earrings, handed the money to Subodh, and sent him to Tarapith.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When Subodh arrived at Tarapith, Bamdev Baba saw him from afar and shouted, "Oh, Subodh is coming! What are you here for, Subodh?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh approached and said, "You must initiate me. Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Purnananda sent me to you."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bamdev said, "Go, clean the Mother's room. Sweep it well. Come back in the evening, and I will initiate you."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh spent the entire day cleaning. In the evening, he went back to Bamdev. Bamdev was holding an apple, tossing it in the air, and taking bites out of it. He offered the half-eaten apple to Subodh and said, "You want initiation? Here, eat this."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh was filled with disgust. He refused to eat it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bamdev simply said, "Oh, you won't eat it? Fine, don't eat it if it disgusts you." And he let the matter drop. No initiation happened that night.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The next morning, Subodh went back, but Bamdev had gone to bathe in the river. Bamdev's main disciple, Nandu, was sitting there. Subodh started complaining to Nandu: "I came all the way from Kolkata because Ramakrishna sent me. But that Swami Purnananda is nothing but a drunkard! He's always intoxicated. And now, I come here to Bamdev..."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Just at that moment, Bamdev Baba walked in from his bath and overheard Subodh. Bamdev said, "Whose name are you talking about? Purnananda? Do you have any idea who he is? Do you know what a great devotee he is, or who he has initiated?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Subodh replied, "No, I don't know anything."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bamdev explained, "In his previous life, he performed intense penance but kept craving alcohol, which he never drank. That is why, in this life, his only remaining karma is to drink. He cannot function without it. But he is consuming the karma of his past life. Listen, go back. Establish Mother Tara and pray to her. If you call her, you will find her."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That instruction itself became Subodh's initiation. He returned and established a shrine for Mother Tara on the banks of the Ganges. Shortly after, Mother Tara revealed herself to him.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There are so many stories like this! How many can I tell you?
Host:
If we talk about Mother Tara, Gurudev will never be able to finish; there is so much history.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Let me mention one more thing. There is a saying: "Vama-netram Tara, Tarini para..." Meaning, the Mother whose left eye is slightly crossed or squinted is known as Tara. If you get off at the Tarapith railway station, you will see this written right there at the top. She is the one who liberates us.
Host:
So today, we heard about the second Mahavidya, Goddess Tara. Gurudev shared a lot, but there is still so much more to tell. Let me quickly share a brief personal experience, which relates to why I introduced Gurudev as "Tara's Son." One day, a young man came to Gurudev and shared his story. He said that a little girl had approached him out of nowhere, gave him two phone numbers, and told him, "Go to the Rajpur cremation ground. My son is there. If you go to him, everything will be fixed for you." I have no right to say more than this, nor do I want to. But I started by saying that Gurudev's title is "Tara's Son." Now you understand why I said everyone should listen to him speak about his Mother. Anyway, you've heard a lot today, and there is much more left to hear. Perhaps later we will share these stories outside the Mahavidya series. But how did that little girl give him your exact phone numbers? Of course, Gurudev later revealed the truth, and the boy explained everything he saw. We actually have a separate episode about this incident; you can watch it if you like. I hope you enjoyed this episode. We will be back with the next one. Let us end by hearing the Harinam from Gurudev's own lips.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I feel like I haven't been able to say much about the Mother at all... but whatever happened, let it be. Yes, I will do the Harinam Sankirtan: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Harer Namaiva, Harer Namaiva, Harer Namaiva Kevalam. Kalau Nastyeva, Kalau Nastyeva, Kalau Nastyeva Gatir Anyatha. In the age of Kali Yuga, there is no other work, no need to seek out other deities. Just chant the Holy Name. The Lord will be satisfied with that alone. It is repeatedly said that in Kali Yuga, extensive rituals are not required. The only path is to continuously chant the Harinam. Just chant this 16-word, 32-syllable mantra. You won't need anything else. Everyone stay healthy, stay well, and keep chanting the Holy Name.
Host:
Pranam, Gurudev.